Show Me The Money

This was an expensive season for the San Antonio Spurs. At just over $69 million, the Spurs shelled out enough to put them in the top fifteen highest paid teams in the NBA. With many questions surrounding the team after a disappointing early exit from the playoffs, many are wondering what changes the team can make in the off-season to complete one last run as the Tim Duncan era gets smaller in the window. The answer to that question may rely on the answer to another question: what can the Spurs afford?Who’s Back?

For 2011-2012, the Spurs have nearly all of the current team under contract, and will cut loose a lot of dead weight contracts on players that have been traded or released. Most everyone stands to make substantial raises, and even with eight fewer contracts on the books, the team’s payroll is likely to balloon to over $75 million, catapulting the team into the top ten of the league’s payrolls.

Tim has an early termination option that the team is likely to exercise for what may bring his illustrious career to an end once next season is over. If the team exercises the option, Mr. Duncan will see a cool $3 million raise next season, topping out somewhere north of $21 million. Drinks are on Tim next time.